Play behaviour in pigs is a reliable indicator of positive welfare states and its absence or reduction signals welfare deterioration, making play observation a valuable assessment tool in commercial settings.
Play behaviour in pigs provides a direct behavioural window into positive welfare states that is practically assessable in commercial settings. A group of piglets playing after feeding in a straw-bedded pen is displaying behaviour that indicates security, health and positive affect. The absence of play in a pen of apparently healthy piglets should prompt welfare investigation, as reduced play reliably indicates underlying welfare compromise before other signs become obvious. Including play frequency in farm welfare assessment protocols gives farmers and veterinarians a behavioural indicator that captures positive welfare — not just the absence of negative states — and creates incentive to actively promote conditions that support positive emotional experiences in commercial pigs.